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Three hundred and fifteen grade one students in Waterloo County were introduced to a French Immerâ€" sion program last September. The program, under the direction of the Wateriloo County Board of Education, was started after the success of a pilot program run during 1974. The resulting enthusiasm was exhibited by the parents and students involved. Numerous hours of research went into setting up the immersion program which divides the curriculum into 50 per cent French instruction and 50 per cent English instruction in the course of a school day. At noon on Dec. 22, the school doors closed for Christmas vacation, at the same time, marking the end of the program‘s first term. â€" â€" How did the program fare in its first four months of operation? Does it appear to be accomplishing what it is supposed to? Are both the parents and children satisfied with what‘s taking place in the classroom? According to Don Bryce, Elementary French Conâ€" sultant for the Waterloo County Board of Education, the program has met everyone‘s expectations. "‘It‘s only four months into the program, so I wouldn‘t want it thought that we‘ve accomplished all that we‘ve set out to do, but in the short run it certainâ€" ly has met our expectations,‘‘ said Mr. Bryce. The program involves 10 schools, with eight located in Kitchenerâ€"Waterloo, one in Elmira and one in Cambridge (Hespeler). It is a completely new proâ€" gram designed for parents who feel they want their children to have a greater command of the French language, than would be the case if they let their chilâ€" dren encounter it in a 20â€"minuteâ€"perâ€"day core program which begins in grade six. The percentage of students taking advantage of it as opposed to the percentage of students who would like to take advantage differs. Originally 750 families were interested in taking part, but a number of restrictions cut this number to less than half. The availability of space in a given school, the availability of competent staff and the fact that the program cannot always be offered in a homeschool were all factors taken into consideration. . * s g The selection of studénts and schools was based on the largest number of interested students in a given school. If the school had a good nucleus, rneaning 20 to 25 students and parents were interested in the proâ€" gram, there was a good likelihood that that school would be given the go ahead. While this was the case last year Mr. Bryce said the board will have to take inâ€" to consideration the concerns and criteria which surâ€" face next September and evaluate them before making any selections. Mr. Bryce said that next year‘s method of selection may differ because there could be 25 children in a number of schools and the program could not hope to accommodate all of them. **You see we‘re in a precarious position as are other boards and yet we‘re in a better position ‘than most others. We‘re sort of coming into a period of declining enrolment which indicates redundancy in teacher staff so if you have on the one hand redundancy in the English sector and you‘re hiring French teachers on the other hand, those two things are not compatible. So we‘re still in a position where I‘m sure we‘re going to be losing a sufficient number of teachers to warrant the hiring of the few that we‘ll require each year but there will be a time when this will be difficult and this will be a crunch sort of time." The six fullâ€"time French instructors work with the English teachers and although there is a set curricuâ€" lum for both the English and French portion of the program, there is enough flexibility within the frameâ€" work to work and plan jointly. **Working together very closely is the key to the success of the program," said Mr. Bryce. "If they weren‘t working together the program would be a bust and the interest of the kids would not be central." With the understanding that parents may have been concerned about the program., the board of education conducted an information meeting in each of the schools where the immersion program is running. It was well attended and a number of questions and conâ€" cems were laid to rest. The overall feeling was that parents went away feeling happy and secure that their children were getting a good solid education. ‘‘That‘s the feeling I got and the kind of feedback I‘m getting from the sehools,"" said Mr. Bryce. ‘"They are saying in effect that it was a super night because we had an awful lot of questions answered and their conâ€" cems have been dealt with and they are no longer upâ€" tight." Some of the parents were concerned about their children‘s progress in mathematics. They could not comprehend how., with an insufficient background in French. their children could deal with mathematics at the same level as the English speaking children. Mr. Bryce said the explanation for this is that a good portion of the grade one mathematics program is a By Terry James Lutheran Life Insurance Society of Canada marked its fifth birthday (January 5) with a birthday cakeâ€" andâ€"coffee celebration at its Head Office in Marsland Centre, Waterloo, Ont. Participating in the cakeâ€" *cutting ceremony were (left to right) Directors Mrs. Edith Macintosh of Kitchener, Allan P. Schendel of Waterloo, Society President Harold A. Dietrich of Waterloo, Senior Viceâ€"President and Treasurer E.G. Schafer of Kitchener, and Gregor S. Lund of Oakville. One of Canada‘s largest fraternal organizations, Lutheran Life has insurance in force of more than $250 million and assets of more than $44 million. The Society serves Lutherans in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario with insurâ€" ance and fraternal programs. Liquid protein diets dangerous Warning: liquid protein diets are dangerous and can even contribute to death. That‘s the message from Waterloo Region‘s health and social services comâ€" missioner Dr. Gerard Evans The liquid protein diets, which have recently beâ€" come popular, have been linked as a possible cause in a number of deaths in the United States. hands on type of activity and when children are using specific objects, whether it is accompanied by Chinese, English, French ar Japanese instructions, the concept of what they are doing still comes across. Since there is nothing harmful in the product itâ€" self, it cannot be removed from the market, writes Dr. Evans in a report reâ€" Parents were concerned about whether or not the program would be continuous and they were assured that given the proper number of students the board would continue the program. Another concern centered around the research and Mr. Bryce assured the parents that the initial research was bona fided and completed by genuine researchers who made use of both coutrol aud experimental groups. Some parents were afraid that with the reduction of time for English instruction the English language arts portion would suffer. *"This was dealt with in the total package of English language arts. One very important component of that is the listening skill," said Mr. Bryce. ‘"That‘s a skill they must catch on to and the mere fact that we‘re giving them second language training, 90 per cent of it is listening because they can‘t speak it yet so parents were reassured that while that portion of the program was deleted or cut back somewhat, the skill developâ€" ment was equal to what it‘s ever been and in some cases surpasses what it‘s been." Reading and writing in French is not introduced to the students during the first term. Teachers want to make certain these skills are grasped in the mother tongue first. The students are now well on the way inâ€" to beginning their reading program and no problems are in sight. ‘"‘There is concern, howâ€" ever, about the hazards with improper use of liquid protein diet preparations," he adds. leased this week. Waterloo regional public health inspectors as of Janâ€" uary 11 have surveyed 12 stores to see if they sell any of the approximately 50 brand name liquid proâ€" tein diet products on the market. Eight of the stores, all drug stores, sell the prodâ€" uct. ‘"Most of the druggists will order it as customers ask for it," reports Dr. CUT THE CAKE .*._ 8‘ WWathrioo Chronitie; Wediesday,"Jartivary: 18; 1978 : Page 5 Evans. ‘"One druggist said he is not going to order further supplies because of the controversy."‘ **One of the things I expected for sure was that when we had 315 students enroled, there would be an exodus out of the program. I thought that when parents began to realize the degree of French that these kids were getting and that it was really a full half day that they heard virtually no English from the teacher, they would be pulling their kids out thinking that while French is important, it‘s not that important,‘‘ said Mr. Bryce. The â€" American _ Health Association (AHMHA) has anâ€" nounced that liquid proâ€" tein diets should be used only for the treatment of extreme obesity under close medical supervision. â€" But even close supervision is ‘"‘no guarantee that they are safe and will not have lethal side effects." The AHA also warned that the products should not be used as the sole source of nutrients nor Mr. Bryce believes the program has met with so few problems because the program was prozerly researchâ€" ed before it was put into practice, the staff. was careâ€" fully selected, and the parents who opted for the proâ€" gram were truly committed to it. . * The program will not see any changes at least until the end of June. Mr. Bryce sees virtually the same curriculum being used again next year.â€" In September, approximately the same number of classes will be offered and the present grade ones will move into the program at a grade two level. Public meetings for the parents of kindergarten children will be held sometime in February. Interâ€" ested parents are advised to watch the local newsâ€" papers for dates, times and locations. ~**We‘re looking forward to great things happening," said Mr. Bryce. "We‘re quite confident that the proâ€" gram will continue to run smoothly and efficiently and will produce great results. That‘s as positive as one can be about a program, but that‘s the way it is." However, there have only been one or two such should be used by growing children or people with live# or kidney disease. The United States Food and Drug Commissioner plans to require warning labels on the diet products urging they not be used without medical supervision or if taking prescription medications or by infants, children, pregnant or nursâ€" ing women. The Canadian health and welfare department is conâ€" sidering similar labelling regulations.